


(The Day) It All Comes Back Together

by GodricSalzaar16



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avengers Family, Conflict Resolution, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Getting Together, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, Love Confessions, M/M, May Parker & Tony Stark - Freeform, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Not Canon Compliant, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Has a Family, Post-Canon, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Precious Peter Parker, Protective May Parker (Spider-Man), Reunions, Steve Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, coming home, iron dad & spider son, sassy children
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-04 23:13:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14603832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GodricSalzaar16/pseuds/GodricSalzaar16
Summary: Tony and Peter continue to grow closer by the day, and Peter's superhero career has become ten times easier now that Aunt May knows.Of course, in this world of tentative paradise, it's not expected for things to be shaken up.OREverything's great until Team Cap shows up(No bashing, just pure domestic fluff and tentative new relationships and friendships)





	1. Chapter 1

To say Aunt May hadn't been happy about the whole Peter-being-Spider-Man-thing was an understatement. He'd lost track of time the night she found out. She hadn't stopped yelling at him for hours. And even afterwards, there had been the silent treatment for the better part of a month.

Of course, Mr Stark has been called in -- much to Peter's dismay -- and it had been his turn to get yelled at. Peter couldn't even find any smidgen of satisfaction as he watched it happen.

Mr Stark had tried to explain as best he could, but none of it really made a difference. Judging by the expression on his face, Mr Stark hadn't expected it to either.

"My fifteen year old kid!" She had yelled, tears in her eyes.

And that -- that had killed both Peter and Mr Stark in an instant. All he had wanted to do was help people, to be like the superheroes he saw on t.v. The ones who saved New York from aliens!

But he knew Aunt May wouldn't like it -- she would hate it.

And she did.

So when she told-- no, commanded -- Mr Stark to take back the suit, it took all Peter had not to burst into tears right then and completely embarrass himself.

God, why had he messed everything up so badly?

"Say your goodbyes, you won't be seeing each other again," Aunt May had said, glaring at both of them.

They slunk back to Peter's room, resigned expressions on their faces. Peter quickly changed out of the suit and into some sweats and a t-shirt. He painstakingly folded the suit as best he could. Once he had it completely folded, he found himself unable to let it go.

He turned back to Mr Stark, trying to hide the wetness building in his eyes. He tried to subtly sniff, but it was still loud in the silent room.

"Mr Stark, I--" he started, but his voice cracked. He couldn't even look at the man. "I'm so sorry."

"No," Mr Stark said, firm with no room for discussion. "You have nothing to apologize for kid, you hear me? This-- this is all on me. I'm the adult, and you're just a kid, I should've known better than to get you involved. I'm sorry, Peter."

He couldn't stop the tears from falling then, and he had to quickly hand over the suit before he never let go. He scrubbed his face with his hands and turned away.

"I-I just wanted to be like you," Peter said, his words muffled by the hands over this mouth. "I just wanted to be a hero."

"I know, kid. I know," Mr Stark said, and he placed a hand on Peter's shoulder, squeezing gently. "And you are, I promise you are."

They stayed like that for a while, with Peter trying to muffle his sobs and Mr Stark's presence by his side. Too soon, Mr Stark withdrew his hand and cleared his throat. Peter turned to face him, his cheeks still wet and nose running.

"I have to go," Mr Stark said, his voice soft and regretful. More tears gathered in Peter's eyes.

Peter nodded, unable to say anything, and watched as Mr Stark walked to the door. Peter couldn't help the tightening of his chest as he watched the scene unfold. Mr Stark stopped before reaching for the door handle. Peter watched his tense shoulders, saw them slump as he sighed.

He turned back then, looked Peter in the eyes and opened his arms, just slightly enough for Peter to fit between them.

There were no misinterpretations this time, no hesitant or second guessing. Peter sprung forward without thinking, wrapping his arms around Mr Stark's hard chest and burying his face in the soft material of Mr Stark's jacket.

He expected a reprimand for spoiling the jacket with his snot and tears, but none came. Instead, Mr Stark just wrapped his arms around Peter's shoulders and drew him even closer. Peter cried harder.

 _Please don't go_ , he thought, clinging as tightly as he could, no doubt hurting the man with his strength. _Please don't leave me._

"Pete," Mr Stark said, using the nickname for the first time. "I gotta go."

He didn't sound like he particularly wanted to, but they both knew it was a better if he just left and didn't cause any trouble. They didn't want to make this worse.

"O-okay," Peter said, drawing back and wrapped his arms around himself. He suddenly felt cold, so cold. He tried for a smile, but he knew it came out as more of a watery grimace.

"G-goodbye, Mr Stark," Peter said, almost unable to hold eye contact. "It was an honour to work with you."

He sounded so formal, but he couldn't even form the right words to express the sheer amount of gratitude and adoration he felt for the man in front of him.

They say to never meet your heroes, because they'll always let you down. And Mr Stark had let him down, but he's also picked Peter back up again. Peter didn't even know what he was supposed to be doing now.

"It was an honour to work with you too," Mr Stark said, and his smiled. A real, genuine smile and not the fake one Peter had seen so many times before. "And call me Tony."

"Y-yeah," Peter said, almost startled into a laugh. "Goodbye, Mr-- Tony."

"Goodbye, Peter," Mr S--Tony said. He turned back one last time and said, "I'll miss you, kid."

And then he was gone, disappearing from Peter's life. Just like Uncle Ben. Just like his parents. Just like Liz. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair.

"If it wasn't obvious before, you're grounded. You go straight to school, finish your Decathlon meeting-- I'll be checking with Ned and Michelle -- and come back here. There will be no... superhero-ing, are we understood?" Aunt May said, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed.

He'd never seen her this angry in his entire life. He just nodded, his throat closed.

She stares at him for a long time, not saying anything, before she stalks away, closing the door. Peter lets out the breath he'd been holding and collapses onto his bed. He curls up into a ball, dragging the comforter over himself. He buries his head beneath the blanket and squeezes his eyes shut.

How had his whole world managed to come crashing down in just one night? He thought he had it all under control, he thought he could have it both ways. But he was wrong. He was so wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place two years after Civil War, and eighteen months after the last chapter. 
> 
> In which that big fight at the end of CW never happened, but this did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if the non-linear-ness is confusing.

There were many things in his life Tony wished he could change. Things that haunted his nightmares and held him hostage, day or night.

 

First, it was Afghanistan – because it was always Afghanistan. He still felt the course sand dragging across his skin, the burning sun beating down on him, the taste of disgusting water filling his lungs. He saw Yinsen’s face sometimes. Sometimes his mind switched out Yinsen for someone else – Rhodey, Pepper, Steve, and even more recently Peter.

 

Then came the holy hell that was Ultron, and Rogers and Barton could preach all they wanted, but Wanda Maximoff had fucked with his head – and even if he helped her, there was no way he could ever forgive her – much less _trust_ her. That vision still swam into his head sometimes, when he wasn’t actively pushing it away.

 

He could still see Steve on the ground, the other Avengers lying dead on the ground around them. Steve told Tony it was his fault, that he could’ve saved them. But he was wrong. Tony didn’t save anyone, he just got them all killed.

 

And then the Sokovia Accords happened, and if things were shit before, it was nothing compared to then. He could never quite forget the way Steve held him in that underground lair, surrounded by dead super-soldiers and his former mind-controlled best friend staring down at them.

 

“You knew,” Tony had said, a statement not a question. Because of course, Rogers knew.

 

Tony had struggled, had tried everything to get out of Steve’s grasp and get his hands on the man who killed his parents. The man who killed his _mom_.

 

But Steve hadn’t relented, had held his firm grasp and never let go. Tony didn’t know if Steve was protecting him or Barnes. Maybe even both. At that moment, he didn’t care. All there was was rage and pain. It festered and built, like a fire consuming him from the inside out. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry.

 

“Why?” Tony had asked, finally going limp after what felt like hours. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“Tony, I-I don’t know –” Steve tried to say, but Tony cut him off.

 

“Don’t bullshit me, Rogers! _Why didn’t you tell me_?” Tony said, his anger rearing its head again. But he was too tired to fight. He was just too tired.

 

“Because I was an idiot,” Steve said, “I thought I could have it both ways. I was selfish and I’m sorry. Tony, I’m _so sorry_.

 

“But it’s not his fault, you have to know that. It’s not his fault, _please_.”

 

Steve was begging and it pissed him off. It pissed him off because he could understand. He could understand people violating your mind and forcing you to do unspeakable, unimaginable things. SHIELD had seminars on this kind of thing, he thought to himself morosely. _Conflict resolution._

 

And Steve was always complaining that _Tony_ wasn’t good at communication.

 

“Go,” Tony said, unable to say anything else.

 

“Tony,” Steve said, his voice strained. Barnes watched them intently. Tony ignored him.

 

“Just – _go_ ,” Tony said, as he ripped himself out of Steve’s grip He collapsed onto the ground and dragged himself away. “Please just go.”

 

He heard Steve get to his feet, heard the matching footsteps going in the opposite direction. They were almost gone when Steve called his name again. There was a clank, and Tony turned to see Steve drop his shield on the floor.

 

_Good._

 

“Tony...I’m –”

 

“ _Go_!” Tony snarled.

 

Steve stumbled back, dropping his gaze. He left then ( ~~just like everyone else~~ ), leaving Tony cold and alone on the concrete floor.

 

Tony snapped out of the memory, blinking as his eyes came back into focus. He was sitting in his workshop, staring blankly ahead at the gleaming shield hung in the ornate glass cabinet above the Iron Man armour. He shook his head, turning his gaze away and looking down at the blueprints in front of his.

 

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. - think you could get May on the line for me? I need her opinion on something,” Tony said, scrapping the blueprints and picking up his tablet. He left the workshop, leaning against the bars on the elevator.

 

“Right on it sir,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. said.

 

A little screen on his tablet appeared, and he waited for May to pick up. It wasn’t that late – Peter would be done with his homework by now, and May would be making dinner. Peter would probably bring him and Rhodey some tomorrow – Tony hoped it was her homemade pasta.

 

“In the meantime – what would you like me to do about our guests?” FRIDAY asked, and Tony frowned.

 

 _Guests_? It was only Rhodey. Maybe Pepper was here, or happy?

 

Before he could answer, the screen lit up and May’s face came into view. She didn’t have her glasses on, and her hair was tied up into a messy bun. She was at the stove, Peter sitting at the table behind her.

 

“Hey, Tony,” she said, barely glancing up from stirring whatever was in that pot.

 

“Hey May – hey Pete,” Tony greeted smiling.

 

Peter perked up, abandoning whatever he had been working on and grabbed the tablet. Tony couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed. Especially not when Peter started chattering on about his day at school, the academic decathlon – his team had reached state again this year – and the bad guys he took down in a heist that afternoon. Tony listened intently to every word, smiling and nodding when appropriate.

 

“I’m pretty sure that call was for me, honey,” May said, and Peter smiled at Tony sheepishly.

“She’s right kid. We gotta talk about something important real quick, but I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” Tony said, smiling at Peter’s annoyed expression.

 

“Fine, _fine_ ,” Peter said, handing the tablet back to May. “But we all know you like me better.”

 

May and Tony rolled their eyes in unison, but neither one denied it. Tony watched as May shooed a disgruntled Peter out of the kitchen and to his room. He gave Tony one last wave before closing the door.

 

“So what was so important?” May asked, sitting down at the spot Peter had vacated.

 

“I wanted to talk about the thing,” Tony said.

 

“Ah yes, that _thing_ ,” May said, playing along. Both of them knew Peter was probably eavesdropping. They didn’t want to ruin the surprise.

 

“Yeah, I need you to come and check it out before it’s done. Just to make sure he’ll like it,” Tony said. The truth was, Tony was nervous. He’d never really done anything like this before, and when he had, it hadn’t meant as much. He just didn’t want to screw it up.

 

“Oh, Tony,” May cooed and Tony rolled his eyes. “He’ll love it.”

 

The elevator drew to a halt in the living room, and the doors opened with a ding. Tony stepped out, ready to shoot back when he lifted his gaze and froze. His mouth of still open, tablet raised.

 

 _There’s no way this is real_.

 

“Tony? Tony!” May called out, worried. But her voice was distant and far away behind the roaring in Tony’s ears.

 

“Um, May. I’m going to have to call you back,” Tony said, not looking at her as he ended the call. He couldn’t stop staring.

 

Rhodey didn’t look particularly happy, but he made no hostile moves. He gave Tony a mildly apologetic look from his seat on the couch.

 

Steve Rogers stood in the middle of his living room. Dressed in a dark, navy blue version of Captain America outfit, the star ripped out of the middle. Even more shocking was his head. He’d grown it out and hadn’t bothered to slick it back. And then there was the beard. ‘

 

_Oh, god._

 

Tony had to turn his gaze away.

 

It wasn’t just Steve. It was Natasha and Sam too. And _Barnes._ Tony blinked – once... twice. But they were all still standing there.

 

And then Steve smiled at him, small and hesitant – what _the fuck_ – his eyes crinkled and his features softened in a way Tony hadn’t seen in years.

 

Tony silently imploded.

 

“Hi, Tony.”

 

 

 

 


End file.
